


Nuptials Peak

by auspizien



Category: One Piece
Genre: Established Relationship, Feelings, Fluff, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, M/M, Technically Married, Wano Arc (One Piece), Wano Country (One Piece)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-16
Updated: 2020-07-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 21:07:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25312804
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/auspizien/pseuds/auspizien
Summary: When Sanji hears about a romantic meet-cute spot in Wano, he finds the last person he'd want to see... Or maybe not.
Relationships: Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji
Comments: 20
Kudos: 389





	Nuptials Peak

**Author's Note:**

> I just wanted to write something fluffy.

A pleasant hum of cicadas trilled across Amigasa while everyone enjoyed a relaxed afternoon. Preparations for the attack on Kaido were well under way, and it allowed for a moment of ease across the village. Sanji was just finishing cleaning up after making a meal for a few of the crew members that were around.

Robin, Franky, and Kin'emon had graced him with their presence, but Sanji would've prepfered if it had just been the archeologist. Beggars couldn't be choosers. He simply ignored the two bastards in favour of doting on the raven haired woman.

While scrubbing a pot, Sanji listened as Robin set down her cup of tea and gestured towards one of the taller mountains that looked down upon the Kuri county.

"I was wondering about that mountain." Robin enquired, "I heard a few mention it in passing, it seems to have some significance?"

"That's Nuptials Peak." Kin'emon explained proudly, "It has a lovely legend. Many people have gotten wed on the peak for good luck."

"Wed?" Head snapping around, Sanji zeroed in on Kin'emon with predatory suddenness. "What legend?"

Rubbing at his jaw thoughtfully, Kin'emon murmured, "Something about lovers? Or maybe it was about true love..."

In an instant Sanji was across the clearing and accousting him.

"C'mon, you shitty samurai." Grabbing the lapels of the man's jacket, he began shaking him furiously in an attempt to get the information out of him faster. He'd spent a day kicking his head around a frozen wasteland, he'd happily do it to his whole body. "You live here, tell me about the lovers stuff!"

"I don't recall the details," Kin'emon shrugged, allowing himself to be shaken and appearing completely unfazed. He held up his hands innocently and offered, "but it's considered the most lucky and romantic spot in the country."

Dropping the samurai back into his seat, Sanji stood and looked to the mountain with an intense determination as he grinned manically.

~X~

This is what led to Sanji currently climbing the mountain with lovestruck determination and unmitigated optimism that something ethereally romantic was awaiting him on this lucky peak. His most eccentric fantasies had him running into Nami at the top, where she'd swoon at him having found her exactly where she had chosen to wait for him. They'd embrace and Sanji would hold her close as she kissed him with a deep passion.

Guffawing to himself pervertedly, he was happily engrossed in his fantasy as he neared the peak and the trees started to thin. Even if it wasn't Nami, or Robin, Sanji would even be elated to find some lovely Kuri woman up here - maybe picking herbs - and Sanji could stumble upon her. Then he would offer to help, and their hands would brush accidentally; she would gasp and Sanji would smile and they'd fall in love there and then.

It was as romantic as you could get!

Rounding a final cluster of massive boulders and emerging onto the quaint clearing that graced the top of the mountain, Sanji had a moment to appreciate the startlingly gorgeous view of Kuri before his heart nearly leapt out of his chest at the realization that he wasn't alone. A blinding orange glow illuminated the figure standing near the single bonsai tree adorning the summit, and Sanji took an unsteady step forward at the thought of his earlier fantasies coming true.

Another shaky step alerted the person, and they turned to glance at Sanji. Their head blocking the sun's radiance, and suddenly Sanji was keenly aware of a green head of hair and three swords visible on the person's hip.

Falling to his hands and knees with a suddenness that literally shook the ground, Sanji sobbed pitifully at the sight of the stupid swordsman currently standing at the cliff’s edge. Anything would have been preferable to Zoro. Sanji would have been happier with nothing than this irritating mosshead.

"Why you?" Bemoaning to the ground he was currently staining with tears. He beat his fist hopelessly in the dirt a few more times before glaring up at the swordsman and seething. "Why'd it have you be you?!"

With a stiff scowl that'd feel warmer carved from stone, Zoro grunted, “What the hell are you doing, cook?”

“None of your business, crap swordsman.” Sniffling and drawing the back of his hand under his nose to swipe away any excess snot and tears as he composed himself. Getting back to his feet and huffing in Zoro’s direction, “It’s not like you’d understand the subtle nuances of my romantic journey anyway.”

That just earned an arched brow.

Huffing, Sanji wrestled out a fresh cigarette and went about lighting it as iritably as he could. Stomping over to where Zoro stood, figuring he might as well enjoy the view while he was up here before heading back down. Making sure to stuff his lighter away as aggressively as possible to really get across to Zoro how annoyed he was.

Puffing on his cigarette for a bit, Sanji tried to enjoy the view but found himself continually distracted by the stupid man standing next to him. A million questions buzzed around his head, and finally he found himself snapping, "What the hell are you doing up here anyway? Got lost on the way to the bathroom again?"

A muscle flexed in Zoro's neck, and then he quietly muttered, "No."

"Directionless moron." Sanji hissed into his cigarette. He plucked it away and waved it about with an airy hand, smirking devilishly as he mused, "You're just lucky that big dumb head of yours is attached to your shoulders otherwise you would've lost that ages ago."

Expecting a snarled response, Sanji turned a smug expression on the swordsman, only for it to fall away abruptly when he found Zoro staring at him softly.

"Wh-what are you staring at, shithead?!" Startling away and stuttering through his indignant demand. He flailed a bit. Looked Zoro up and down to clearly assess him before snarling, "You hit your head or something?"

Nothing shifted on the stoic swordsman's face, but he did blink once while watching Sanji unwaveringly.

Eyes flicking about confusedly, Sanji looked anywhere but where Zoro's intense gaze was pinned to him. After a few moments, he was forced to glance back and Sanji was scowling now, "What?"

It wasn't a smile, but something akin to one fluttered at the corner of Zoro's mouth. Such a minute twitch that if Sanji didn't have haki he likely wouldn't have noticed it. Less of a smile and more of a smidgen of emotion that had managed to momentarily cause the barest of cracks in the dumb swordsman's unbreakable exterior.

So intent on what he had just seen, Sanji almost missed it when Zoro murmured softly, "I'm glad you're back, curlybrow."

Stunned silence followed the admission, and to say Sanji was shocked was a tad of an understatement. His jaw hit the floor, his cigarette dropped to the ground, and for a moment it felt like his soul had started to vacate his body. Only self-preservation managed to get him to wrestle his emotions under control and shake it off, but he still had to do a double take before fully realizing he had dropped his cigarette.

"Shit." Cursing and stooping down to grab it, he sucked on it in mild panic as he tried to process what on earth would make the stupid mosshead say something so… _nice_.

It just wasn't something they _did_.

Sure there was some stuff between them that would lead one to believe that there might be something more than a rivalry, and unresolved sexual tension, but the fact of the matter was that it was very much resolved. Mostly. They hadn't exactly told the crew, but ever since Sky Island they'd resolved a _lot_ of things in the galley when no one was around; it wasn't like they'd put a name to it, but it had been nice.

Then Sabaody happened, and everything got complicated.

It had only been a few weeks since the crew had reunited, but to Sanji it felt like several years, and he and Zoro _still_ hadn't reconciled, or even attempted to talk about what they used to be. There was a moment when Sanji thought they might after the whole Fishman Island debacle, drunk and stupid as they celebrated, but Zoro had left before anything could happen. After that it was a non-stop express to Wano, and Sanji didn't even want to process what the whole ordeal with Pudding had made the swordsman think.

He probably thought--

Sanji should leave.

They'd been standing in silence for so long now that Sanji was about done with his cigarette and there was nothing he could say to Zoro right now that would even begin to broach everything he wanted to say. This wasn't the time. They had Kaido to worry about in a few days time, and needed to keep a clear head; he should go.

Just before Sanji stubbed out his cigarette and made to leave, Zoro gave a gruff sigh and turned away. Cracking his neck tiredly as he went. He managed to get a half step away before Sanji's hand lashed out to snag the swordsman's wrist and hold tight. Probably too tight; likely just shy of desperate.

Heart pounding in his chest, Sanji was awash with panic as his gaze shot up to Zoro's and any form of explanation was dead on his lips. _He_ didn't even know why he did it. And he couldn't even begin to think what Zoro might think it meant.

Zoro didn't move, but Sanji could feel the flex of the man's wrist beneath his palm.

Ducking his head, Sanji grit his teeth around the burnt out filter on his finished smoke. He tried to force his hand to let go, but it just tightened instead and all he could manage was a soft, "Don't…"

He didn't even know what he was asking Zoro to do.

This time he could feel Zoro's arm relax, and a scuffle of rock had Sanji glancing through his bangs to watch as Zoro turned to face him. He still didn't speak, but seemed to be waiting on Sanji. For his part, Sanji fumbled out of laborious, "Thanks, mosshead."

Another long silence stretched between them, and Sanji knew he needed to say something soon. He knew exactly what this looked like from Zoro's perspective, and it frightened him to have to be honest after literally years of not talking about this. Hell, they didn't even really talk about it before.

Snagging his finished cigarette, he pocketed and braced himself as he glanced up. He got a short look at Zoro's frighteningly fond expression before his calloused palm was sliding behind Sanji's neck and he was hauled forward into an earnest, yet soft, kiss.

Just a simple press of lips, but it had the passion and bluntness that Zoro was so apt to put into everything he did.

And as suddenly as it had happened it was over.

Wide eyed and speechless, Sanji stood with Zoro still holding his neck as his brain tried to catch up with what had just happened, despite it being mostly caught up on wanting to kiss the swordsman again. Mouth working soundlessly as he tried to formulate his first of many outraged questions when a fond, yet pointed, look from Zoro had his jaw snapping shut with a force that audibly caused his teeth to click.

That smile was back, except this time it was visible to anyone that cared to look. Adorable dimple indenting the normally intimidating man's cheek as he leaned in and murmured against Sanji's lips, "Stop overthinking things, cook."

Sanji started for a moment, instinctively ready to fight, but Zoro didn't wait to slant his mouth over the cook's and kiss him proper, and deep, this time.

There was a single moment where Sanji debated pulling back, but his better judgement took over and two long years of longing slammed through him with a force that caused him to throw his arms around Zoro and haul him into the kiss with an embarrassing amount of desperation. But he didn't care. He was loathe to admit Zoro being right, but he didn't want to overthink this, he just wanted to revel in what it was.

Because the best thing about Zoro was what he didn't need to say.

Zoro intrinsically knew him better than most, and could read him like no one else, and it made the kiss that much sweeter. He felt the last vestiges of unspoken awkwardness since their reunion fall away, and groaned happily as everything else clicked into place. He could feel everything Zoro would never say through the urgency of their kiss, and it made his stupid, romantic, lovesick heart sing.

Eventually, long after the golden glow of the sun had sunken below the horizon, they pulled apart. Panting far heavier than a kiss should warrant, and Sanji was just relieved the growing dusk would hide the aroused blush on his cheeks. His hand slid back down Zoro's arm, but this time passed by the wrist to thread into the swordsman's hand.

He held tight and muttered, "So you don't get lost on the way back."

Again, with that minute smile, Zoro rolled his eyes and the gruff unsteadiness of his voice belied the sarcasm, "Whatever."

And with that they headed back down the mountain.

~X~

All the way back to Amigasa they caught up, and Sanji felt a peaceful calm come over him that things were back to the way they were before Sabaody; if not better. He'd survived an Emperor and gotten the stupid swordsman back. It felt like the rest of the Grand Line was going to be a sinch.

When they neared the village, Sanji reluctantly released Zoro's hand and pouted as he watched it return to its resting place atop the green haired man's three swords. He was already impatient to get back to the small bungalow he was staying while they waited until the attack on Kaido.

It had been years and he wanted that hand on more than just his own.

"Sanji-dono!"

They both glanced over to find Chopper and Kin'emon sitting outside the house Chopper and Usopp were staying in. Enjoying what looked like a cup of tea while sitting by the light of two lanterns.

Both men wandered over, and Sanji grinned while pulling out a fresh cigarette, "Hey. What's up?"

"I remembered the rest of the legend," Kin'emon announced proudly, gesturing to Chopper, "I was just regaling Chopper here about it."

"Oh?" Sanji perked up, "What is it?"

Zoro's brow arched curiously.

"It's a story about a couple; one from Kuri, and one from Udon. They meet on the mountain, but their love is forbidden by their families." Kin'emon boasted with a fond grin. Zoro and Sanji wearing matching looks of flat curiosity. "So they meet at sunset, and pronounce their love. Sealed by a kiss."

Chopper sighed happily.

Kin'emon turned to the deer and grinned, "Quite romantic, is it not?"

By the end Sanji felt like he was sweating bullets. Cautiously sparing a glance to the swordsman in hopes of silencing the man from noticing similarities between the story and their evening. Cogs were clearly slowly turning in Zoro's head, and a moment later he was announcing with a frown, "Oi, cook, we did tha--"

There was an explosive bang as a flaming kick connected with Zoro and sent the swordsman abruptly flying through the forest only for a massive cloud of rubble and dirt to form high above the tree line over where Zoro had collided with the earth again. Sanji stood hunched in place, panting heavily and glaring after Zoro with a wild look in his eye - his previously unlit cigarette was now lit. He could still feel flames licking at his heel and a panic causing his heart to stutter.

Stupid, tactless moron.

Kin'emon and Chopper watched with matching looks of confused shock.

"I'm going to my hut." Straightening and fixing his kimono, Sanji gave the lapels a final jerk before glancing at the two still watching him. He stiffly jerked his thumb over his shoulder, "If he asks… or whatever."

And then stormed off with a blush that wasn't missed by anyone.

~End~


End file.
